The Alcohol Trap

Author

Dr. George Best, D.C.
May 03, 2024

If you’re metabolically healthy (are at a healthy weight and don’t have diabetes, insulin resistance, etc.), moderate alcohol consumption now and then is generally fine, provided you aren’t genetically prone to alcoholism and don’t drive or engage in other activities that require good mental focus while under the influence.

But many people these days are not metabolically healthy, and for them, even moderate alcohol consumption can contribute to weight gain, further decline in metabolic processes, and even alcoholism.

There’s a few different things at work.

First, while alcohol acts as a central nervous system depressant in normal, healthy people, it can have a very different effect in those who are not functioning well metabolically. Alcohol gets converted to various other chemicals by the liver. Among these is a compound called acetate. In metabolically-challenged people, the brain becomes less-efficient at burning its normal fuel, glucose, and acetate provides it with an alternative fuel source, making the brain able to function better. So, while alcohol generally makes healthy people drowsy and “foggy,” it can make unhealthy people feel better, more alert, and more focused.

So, what’s wrong with that?

Well, alcohol also gets broken down into a chemical called acetaldehyde, which is toxic to structures in the cells called mitochondria. Mitochondria are the “energy factories” of the cells. They convert blood sugar to energy, and they are vital to normal metabolic processes. So while the acetate is fueling the brain, the acetaldehyde is further damaging metabolic function, making the brain even more dependent on acetate for fuel.

In addition to the acetate helping fuel the brain, alcohol consumption alto triggers the release of dopamine, which stimulates neurological pleasure centers. The combination can make for a pretty powerful addictive mechanism, potentially leading to alcoholism.

Poor metabolic function also tends to lead to weight gain, but excess alcohol consumption has a couple of other effects that lead to gaining weight.

Most people are aware (ironically, probably in-part due to light beer commercials) that alcohol is relatively high in calories. But that’s actually a minor consideration. Far more significant is the alterations in liver function that can occur with chronic (daily moderate drinking) or binge drinking.

The liver has to work pretty hard to detoxify alcohol and when it is overworked in that activity, it may not be able to keep up with other demands, such as hormone activation. Several hormones that are activated by the liver are involved in fat burning and lean muscle growth and the activity of those hormones can be greatly impacted by even mild reductions in liver function.

In addition, when overworked, the liver essentially “sweats” – it excretes fluid into the abdominal cavity (a condition called ascites), causing the abodomen to swell. This is what’s commonly known as the “beer gut.” You can’t really diet or exercise away ascites – you have to get the liver healthier to lose that weight.

But what about wine? Isn’t wine healthy?

While it is true that wine, particularly red wine, is high in antioxidants which have healthy effects in the body, the alcohol in wine isn’t doing anyone any favors. Metabolically healthy people can typically drink wine in moderation without significant ill-effects. But metabolically unhealthy people would probably do best to avoid wine and get their antioxidants from other sources.

To sum it up, if you’re not genetically prone to alcoholism, and are pretty healthy in terms of insulin function and blood sugar control and are at a healthy weight, occasional moderate alcohol consumption is probably fine. The big problems come in if you aren’t metabolically healthy and for those in that situation, avoiding alcohol – yes, even red wine - would be a good idea.


Until next time…


George F. Best, D.C.